Ok watched the letterman version. Yep, her voice is gone.

I always thought an Aretha was a body part... 

backwoods
I few years ago Aretha sang the National Anthem at one of the NBA finals and it was the worst version I have ever heard. Not even the worlds most skilful melodyne operator could have saved her. But... she's a sacred cow now so no, we must never say what it actually sounds like right? 
 
Paul McCartney should lock it away too. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

+2

craigb
I always thought an Aretha was a body part... 

That statement pi$$es me off.

Whoever came up with the chords in those parts - well, they are just plain wrong. Whatever that band is playing, is not with the melody Aretha is singing, and no matter what they think they are suppose to be, you play chords that go with the melody of the song, not some weird arrangement that should be slapped along the side of the head.
 

The problem with modern legends is that they begin while people can still remember and compare them to the reality of today. The arguments seem to be either "if it ain't broke don't fix it," or "if it is broke fix it better." I agree with bitflipper that Aretha should have the gravitas to decide what versions of her work are released, and I have to conclude that she is complicit in the crime. I would rather think that she can hear her own deficiencies and thinks her work should be released in a better light, than to believe that her ear has failed as well as her voice. Of course, given that the audio cognoscenti can catch the flaws so easily, maybe her ear has passed its peak as well. 
 
I cringe every time PBS wheels out its usual pledge drive extravaganzas featuring a couple of surviving members of the brief "folk" renaissance groups of the late 1960's or the croaking mid-range stylings of arthritic beboppers so that we remaining fans who can still hear into the range the performers used to reach will be seized by nostalgia and open our wallets to pay for another season of Downton Abbey. As a child I used to be amazed that my parents would be able to tolerate the ruined voices of septuagenarian big band crooners, and swear that would never happen to me. 
 
With the wealth of competently recorded work of the peak performances of the great musicians in my lifetime, I find it puzzling why my contemporaries feel the need to encourage the same performers to reprise their salad days by doing out of tune quavering covers of their own ancient hits, let alone stand alongside the best contemporary artists and hope no one will notice that they suffer in the comparison. 
 
Is pitch correction or comping for vocalists any more to be criticized than face lifts or liposuction for aging actors or models? Athletes are forced to come to terms with the deterioration of their performance skills, but musicians can go on deluding themselves as long as we encourage them in a deluded attempt to sustain false memories of our own youth.

Aretha doesn't sing like she did in her prime? If someone out there is naive enough to believe that she actually should, I feel sorry for them. Enough of the fairy tale, already.
 
No amount of auto-tune will give her back her old voice - that's not what AT does. No more than botox and plastic surgery make anyone look younger - it only makes them look like scared old people living in denial.
 
What's left of Aretha's voice (and I'd venture to say that that's still more than many pop singers in their prime) is usable, imho. 
 
Listening to her on Letterman, I can imagine it would require some comping. Again, probably less than some younger pop stars.
 
As a matter of fact, before we'd even get into comping, I'd probably resort to the oldest trick in the book: divide and conquer. Plan ahead, chop up the song in parts, take into account that she has shorter breath than in her 20s. Plan multiple passes. Give her plenty of time. Divide and conquer.
 
The lady should be treated like the legend she is and given the all time that she needs. Give her a chance to share some of that soul again - even if you must put a bit more time into it. Because that soul is still there.
 
Unless all you're trying to do is to make a quick $ using her name, regardless of the performance.

Damn you rain! You always box your corner so well :)

Personally, I have more respect for over-the-hill artists when they call it a day. I don't see how she can comp a performance on letterman and even if she could she hasn't got any top end anymore so it would still sound poor. So instead of divide and conquer I suggest surrender.

One thing she could do is pick a song she can sing.

Regardless of whether she can still sing or not, who is the producer that heard that amateurish attempt at an auto tuned vocal track and said, "Yeah, that sounds good"? I couldn't listen to more than 30 seconds of it. It was painful.